[Hobbit Day 2012] Warning: Even Limited Exposure Can Be Hobbit-Forming

If you like J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium, you can put one ring on it. But why even bother introducing The Hobbit? This is Laser Orgy. You read the books before there were movies, you watched the movies before the newest movie, and, by the beard of Tom Bombadil, you bow to no one. (Unless it's Viggo Mortensen in a towel.)

What you might not know, however, is that there's a Hobbit Day. And it's awesome. "What's Hobbit Day?" you ask. "Isn't every day a celebration of Middle-earth?" Well, yes. But September 22 is even more of a celebration. First of all, both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins were born on that day: Bilbo in 2890 and Frodo in 2968 in the Third Age. (This is debated. The date can change depending on a variety of factors, not the least being the nerd ability to ruin anything.) Secondly, Hobbit Day is the day after The Hobbit was first published 75 years ago today. Thirdly, of course, there are the badass new trailers for the upcoming movie.

How can you celebrate? MyMiddleEarth is hosting an online Hobbit Day festival. And true SMOFs like Jan Howard Finder will walk around barefoot. But let's face it. Boston ain't the verdant greens of The Shire. And if you try and dig a hobbit hole in the Commons like those Redditors did, you'll probably get arrested.

So take my advice. Get a dozen of your closest friends and screen the Lord of the Rings trilogy. (Extended editions, please!) And use this excellent collection of Middle-earth recipes to cook up a meal worthy of Gandalf. Our favorites: Frogmorton Flapjacks, Cheddar Soup, Fruit Fool a la Sackville-Baggins, and Elven Lembas bread, athough we suspect that last one is just stale ciabatta.

And if you're too lazy to do any of that, you can always tell hobbit jokes. Here's one.

Q: What kind of air pollution do you find in hobbit cities?

A: Smaug.

Arafat Kazi loves his kitty. Follow him on Twitter @arafatkazi.